Posted by Chinenye on Fri 21st Aug, 2026 - tori.ng
A major rescue operation in Kaduna State has ended with 75 kidnapped passengers, including women and children, safely freed from a hidden forest location.
(Kidnapped victims Rescued by Operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command. Photo Credit: Kaduna Police Command)
Police in Kaduna State have rescued 75 people, including men, women and children, who were abducted by armed gunmen near a village in Birnin Gwari.
The victims were traveling in commercial buses when armed men with AK-47 rifles and other weapons stopped them and forced them into the forest, where they were hidden in a cave.
Police got a tip-off from a transport workers union on Wednesday and immediately sent a team to the area.
When the officers arrived, the kidnappers saw them coming and ran away, leaving the victims behind. All 75 people were rescued safely without harm.
The police commissioner praised the transport union for providing quick information that allowed them to act fast.
He also commended the officers for their swift response.
However, he warned residents not to take matters into their own hands, saying that could make things worse and put innocent people at risk.
The commissioner urged people to stay alert and report any suspicious activities to police.
Birnin Gwari has faced serious security problems for years, with armed gangs and kidnappers regularly attacking travelers on isolated roads.
The area's location along routes connecting different states has made it a target for criminal groups operating in the forests.
(Items recovered during the rescue operations by operatives of the Kaduna State Police Comman. Photo Credit: Kaduna Police Command)